TITLE:

ES&H Manual

 

DOCUMENT ID:

8030 Appendix T3

Groundwater Protection

 

 

1.0            Introduction

 

Groundwater is present in a shallow aquifer below Jefferson Lab.  The laboratory has structures, including two operational accelerators, at or below the water table that have the potential to impact the groundwater.  To mitigate actual and potential impacts to the groundwater, the laboratory, under its Environmental Management System (EMS), has instituted a comprehensive site wide groundwater protection program.  This program addresses:

 

 

This groundwater protection program complies with Federal government and Commonwealth of Virginia groundwater quality laws and regulations and two permits: VA0089320 (ground and surface water quality) and GW0047200 (dewatering).  The program also implements the contract requirements of DOE Order 458.1, Radiation Protection of the Public and the Environment.

 

The purpose of the Groundwater Protection Program Plan (EPS 31) is to minimize the facility’s impact on groundwater resources, primarily through a comprehensive site-wide groundwater monitoring program that identifies and assesses the effect of current and future activities on groundwater quantity and quality.

 

2.0           Responsibilities

 

2.1              Supervisor/Subcontracting Officer’s Technical Representative (SOTR)/Sponsors

·         Inform the Facility Manager or designee (876-1750) of any unusual event or activity that could potentially result in groundwater contamination, such as unusual disturbance near a monitoring well.

 

2.2              Facilities Management and Logistics Department

·         Maintains pumping/plumbing equipment at the end stations to prevent flooding of the experimental halls and soil and/or groundwater activation.

·         Ensures that any expected dewatering for construction projects is reviewed for permit applicability, and, as required, obtain a permit or other authorization.

·         Involves Radiation Control Department  (RadCon) in any discussion regarding problems or changes to the end station dewatering system.

·         Rectifies issues that could result in groundwater degradation.

 

Has the primary responsibility for implementing the following actions detailed in the Permit to Withdraw Groundwater GW0047200:

·         Ensures the groundwater dewatering pit is properly maintained and that the flowmeter is maintained to meet permit requirements.

·         Notifies Environmental, Safety, Health, and Quality (ESH&Q) to obtain Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) approval prior to making any construction or pump setting changes to the pit.

·         Posts the dewatering permit information at the dewatering pit.

·         Records flow values and provides monthly flow reports on or about the first of each month to the ESH&Q Associate Director.

 

2.3              Hall/Accelerator/FEL Operations Managers

·         Operate the accelerators and end stations in accordance with the Final Safety Assessment Document to minimize impacts to soils and groundwater.

 

2.4              ESH&Q

·         Manages the arrangement and/or performance of the accelerator and experimental area radiological and permit-related non-radiological monitoring of site groundwater.

·         Provides the completed GW0047200 quarterly report and VPDES monitoring data (VA0089320) to the Thomas Jefferson Site Office (TJSO) in advance of the permit due date.

·         Provides requests for dewatering well setting changes or other such notifications required by GW0047200 to the TJSO to obtain DEQ approvals when requested.

·         Ensures the requirements of the GW0047200 Water Conservation and Management Plan are incorporated into associated program documents.

·         Makes determinations about permit requirements for construction projects requiring dewatering.

·         Manages the disposal of activated water to ensure it does not migrate to the soil and/or groundwater.

·         Input sampling and other information into the DEQ Database and inform TJSO.

 

3.0            Summay of Groundwater Protection Program

 

The four operational concerns that could potentially impact groundwater are:

 

 

Jefferson Lab’s  groundwater protection program is a comprehensive site wide groundwater assessment strategy to minimize the effect of current and future Lab activities on groundwater quantity and quality.  This program includes:

 

The potential activation sources of most concern (the Halls and the Beam Switchyard) were the basis for design of the Jefferson Lab groundwater monitoring network.  Since groundwater activation and transport occur over a relatively long time frame, retrospective sampling and analysis is adequate for identifying and mitigating problems. Wells are sampled twice yearly under the terms of the VPDES Permit for the radiological parameters Tritium, Beryllium-7, Sodium-22, and Manganese-54.

 

No activation is expected under the end stations, the site of the groundwater collection network.  The dewatering operation provides for collection and discharge through a pump network at the Counting House. The water is sampled annually for Tritium, Beryllium-7, Sodium-22, and Manganese-54. Additional samples are continuously collected and analyzed by RadCon.

 

4.0            References

 

ES&H Manual:

2410 Hazard Issues and Contractual Commitments

2420 Permits and Authorizations from External Agencies

EPS 31 Groundwater Protection Program Plan

 

5.0            Revision Summary

 

Revision 0.1 – 12/11/12 - Updated to reflect compliance with DOE Order 458.1 Radiation Protection of the Public and the Environment.

Revision 0 – 04/28/09 – Original Content.

 

 

 

ISSUING AUTHORITY

TECHNICAL POINT-OF-CONTACT

APPROVAL DATE

REVIEW REQUIRED DATE

REV.

 

 

ESH&Q Division

Bill Rainey

04/28/09

04/28/12

0.1

 

This document is controlled as an on line file.  It may be printed but the print copy is not a controlled document.  It is the user’s responsibility to ensure that the document is the same revision as the current on line file.  This copy was printed on 6/4/2013.